Elmer e



(No Model.)

B. E. KAUFMAN.

KEY.

Patented Dec. '28, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. KAUFMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 596,270, dated December 28, 1897.

Application filed a y 18, 1897. Serial No. 619,551- (No model.)

I T at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELMER E. KAUFMAN, of Ohicago,I1linois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Keys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to door-keys and will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of a key-plate with my improved key in crosssection. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the key in place with its guard-down. Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively side and top elevations.

The shank or handle Aof myirnproved key is formed with a longitudinal slot at for the reception of a guard-plate B. This guardplate is in turn formed with an angle-slot b and a recess 0 near the other end, and the front of the guard-plate tapers to conform to the contour of the key-handle. A retaining-rivet 6 passes through the sides of the handle and loosely through the slot 19 in the guard-plate, and near the outer end of the handle a rivet d rides loosely in a transverse slot f.

When the guard is not in use, it is folded into the handle with the rivet d resting in recess 0; but when the key has been inserted in the lock and turned then the guard can be thrust forward into the key slot until the rivet d falls behind its lower end and securely locks the guard in the key-slot, so that the key cannot be turned from the outside; but when it is desired to turn the key on the inside the rivet d is raised from behind the guard, which can then be withdrawn from the key-slot and folded into the'handle with the rivet d resting in recess 0.

I claim 1. A key having a slotted body, and a guard-plate mounted in said slot and movable longitudinally and laterally relatively to the body, whereby it is adapted to engage the keyslot, substantially as described.

2. A key having a slotted body, combined with a guard-plate mounted in said slot and having an angular and a transverse slot, a

- fixed rivet in the key-body engaging the angu- 

